After a 134-day deadlock, Pennsylvania lawmakers are finally set to vote on a roughly $50.1 billion spending plan, a move that would immediately unlock crucial funding for schools, county governments, and nonprofits across the state.
The legislative session, which was not originally scheduled for this week, reconvened following late-October closed-door negotiations between caucus leaders and Governor Josh Shapiro. The pressure to act is high, as the impasse has held up billions of dollars in state funding for more than four months.
Senate Republicans had previously sought concessions, including stricter controlled spending measures and the state's withdrawal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). With the chambers now in session, both the House and Senate are expected to take up the budget and related fiscal bills throughout the day. A successful vote would conclude the lengthy fiscal stalemate and allow state money to finally begin flowing to essential services.